The present invention pertains to mounting covers used for enclosing electronic components or the like.
Quite often it is desirable, if not necessary, to provide an enclosure for electronic components (for example, for protective or shielding purposes) which is readily removable for permitting easy access to the components. Such an enclosure is normally provided by a rectangular metal box cover which fits over the components and is held to the surface on which the components are mounted by screw fasteners which pass through the top of the cover into threaded apertures located in the mounting surface. Since the thickness of the cover is not too great, it is common to provide a hollow post or column underneath the head of each screw fastener through which the screw shaft passes to prevent crushing the top of the cover by the compressive forces produced as the screws are tightened into place. These compression posts or columns, which are normally an integral part of the cover, not only add to the cost of manufacturing the cover, but detract from the amount of usable space underneath it for accommodating the components. Since these covers are used in great quantities, even a slight savings in both manufacturing cost and usable space could prove quite meaningful and advantageous.
A further consideration is the mounting and testing of the components located underneath the cover. By providing a removable cover, the mounting of the components is greatly facilitated since an assembler can mount the components on a surface before the cover is put in place, thus avoiding the need for maneuvering in areas which quite often are small and constrained. A problem sometimes arises however, in testing or troubleshooting the components once assembled, since it may be expeditious, if not absolutely necessary during testing to maintain the cover walls in place, such as for example, shielding purposes. This is especially true when the cover has a compartmented design for isolating from one another various areas thereunder. Thus it would be desirable to provide a mounting cover which permits easy access to the enclosed components with the side walls held in place.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mounting cover which does not require special compression posts or columns.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a new and improved mounting cover which is easily and inexpensively fabricated from a flat sheet of material.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved mounting cover which permits easy access to the enclosed components while the side walls are maintained in place.
These objects, as well as others, will become more readily apparent from the detailed description which follows when considered in conjunction with the appended drawing.